Medieval bowling balls...
Bowling
in medieval times must have really been something to see (just
kidding). Can you imagine hefting one of these balls onto a trebuchet
sling? The European debut of trebuchets (a type of catapult invented in China) was during the 12th century in Italy.Trebuchets were powerful weapons with a range of up to 300 yards. They were used by all invading armies on fortified cities. Stones were typically used, but there were many objects thrown: dead animals, diseased bodies, beehives, the severed heads of captured enemies, small stones burned into clay balls which would explode on impact like grapeshot, barrels of burning tar, fiery projectiles, or even unsuccessful negotiators, prisoners of war, and spies catapulted alive. I'm glad I missed out on that period of history.
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